European Parliament votes through Circular Economy Package

The European Parliament has given the go-ahead to the EUâs landmark Circular Economy Package (CEP) after formally approving higher recycling targets and new measures to reduce waste across Europe yesterday (18 April).

EU member states will be obliged to reach a 55 per cent municipal recycling rate by 2025, 60 per cent by 2030 and 65 per cent by 2035.

Specific targets for packaging for 2030 are also included for all packaging (70 per cent), plastic (55 per cent), wood (30 per cent), ferrous metals (80 per cent), aluminium (60 per cent), glass (75 per cent) and paper and cardboard (85 per cent).

In addition to material-specific targets, member states will have until 1 January 2025 to set up a separate collection for textile waste and hazardous waste from households and until 31 December 2023 to ensure that bio-waste is either collected separately or recycled at source (e.g. home composting). Member states will also be obliged to ensure no more than 10 per cent of municipal waste generated goes to landfill by 2035.